Phil Salt smashed a new England-record T20I score of 141 on an extraordinary night in Manchester, the hosts scoring 300 for the first time as they beat South Africa by 146 runs to level the series.

Salt (141no off 60 balls) struck eight of England’s 18 sixes for the innings, to go with 15 boundaries, as he blasted a 39-ball hundred to also best Liam Livingstone’s previous record-fastest mark off 44 deliveries.

Salt started as he meant to go on, tonking three fours off the first three balls of the match as he and Jos Buttler (83 off 30) hammered 100 off the opening six-over powerplay – another England record.

Buttler, who cracked seven sixes and eight fours, would be denied a stunning century of his own as left-arm spinner Bjorn Fortuin (2-52) finally broke the breathtaking 129-run stand in the eighth over.

But the wicket did little to derail England, who tallied a T20I-best 166 at the 10-over mark of the innings that briefly had them eyeing Zimbabwe’s record 344 scored against Gambia last year.

Jacob Bethell (26 off 14) and Harry Brook (41no off 21) added to the carnage and provided valuable support to Salt, who broke his own record score of 119 in the 18th over, as England also surpassed their previous best total of 267 – against West Indies in 2023 – in the same over.

While they couldn’t quite reel in Zimbabwe’s 344, despite plenty of help from a rusty Kagiso Rabada – who bowled four no-balls as his four overs went for 70 – England’s 304-2 now sits third on the all-time list.

South Africa made about as good a fist of a pretty thankless chase as to be expected as they were bowled out for 158 in 16.1 overs, seeing the series all square at 1-1 going into Sunday’s decider at Trent Bridge – live on Sky Sports Cricket from 2pm (first ball 2.30pm).

Aiden Markram (41 off 20) and Ryan Rickelton (20 off 10) might have had the home side briefly concerned when firing 50 inside the first four overs to mirror England’s destructive start with the bat.

But Jofra Archer (3-25), who had dropped Markram on 22 in the previous over, made amends and set England on their way with two wickets in three balls – Rickelton out to a stunning diving grab by Liam Dawson at short midwicket before Lhuan-dre Pretorius (2) was undone by a slower ball.

Adil Rashid (1-48) claimed the key wicket of Markram, sandwiched in between the big-hitting Dewald Brevis (4) and Donovan Ferreira (23 off 11) both perishing to Sam Curran (2-11).

Archer added a third with a terrific juggled catch off his own bowling to see off Marco Jansen for a duck, while Dawson (2-34) dismissed Tristan Stubbs (23) before Will Jacks (2-2) took two in two balls – Fortuin (32 off 16) and Kwena Maphaka (0) – to find himself on a hat-trick.

Lizaad Williams saw off the off-spinner and Dawson instead did the honours to end the match with the wicket of Rabada (9) to open the 17th over.

Salt: Great to reach milestone

Player of the Match, Phil Salt:

“That was really good fun, a personal milestone, but the fact that we got 300 and won by so much, I can’t ask for much more.

“Sometimes it’s a case of reacting and some days I will just jump-start someone because the mood takes me. It’s a bit of a balancing act and a double-edged sword.

“I knew the powerplay was going to be important. I might give Livingstone a text, but I don’t want to rub it in too much [breaking his record].”

Brook: Not many heights we can’t reach

England captain, Harry Brook:

“I’m pretty lost for words, the way they [Salt and Buttler] started off the night was incredible.

“Me and Jos were stood out there when we were fielding and both said we never thought anyone would get 300.

“But with the batting line up we’ve got, there’s not many heights that we can’t reach.

“Every must-win game that we have now leading up to that T20 World Cup is awesome preparation for us.

“We want to win every time we go out there and taking it forward to those events.

“There’s going to be some tough [selection] decisions to be made but we like headaches. It’s always good to have those debates.”

England vs South Africa – results and fixtures

All games live on Sky Sports, all times UK and Ireland 🕰️

• First T20 (Cardiff): South Africa won by 14 runs 🟢
• Second T20 (Old Trafford): England won by 146 runs 🔵
• Third T20: Sunday September 14 (2.30pm) – Trent Bridge

Watch the series-deciding third T20 international between England and South Africa at Trent Bridge, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 2pm on Sunday (2.30pm first ball). Stream without a contract.